Plant Soil Environ., 2003, 49(6):249-254 | DOI: 10.17221/4121-PSE

The effect of sugar beet seed treatments on their vigour

A. Orzeszko-Rywka, S. Podlaski

Faculty of Agronomy, Warsaw Agricultural University, Warsaw, Poland

Sugar beet seeds of three varieties (Jastra, Jamira, PNMono1) were rubbed, primed, washed and primed after rubbing. All used methods of seed treatment changed pericarp characteristics such as water potential, density, moisture and content of chemicals resulting in electrical conductivity of water extract from the seeds. Seed treatments also improved the ability and rate of germination. Their efficiency was more significant in an excess and shortage of water in germination medium than in optimum water conditions. The lower the initial seed vigour, the larger the vigour improvement. Seed priming had the best effect on the course of germination. Primed seeds were most resistant to different moisture conditions during germination. The largest differences in germination ability after four days in different water conditions were 5.1 and 7.4% for primed and primed after rubbing seeds, respectively, while the difference for control ones was 26.8%. Priming also caused an increase in seed respiration intensity. Rubbing and washing removed chemicals from the pericarp, which resulted in an increase in water potential, and consequently in vigour improvement.

Keywords: sugar beet; seeds; germination; vigour; treatment; priming; washing; rubbing

Published: June 30, 2003  Show citation